History and Mission

The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO^® ) established the Education and Research Foundation in 1990 to fund compelling needs in ophthalmic medical assisting, i.e., expansion of training programs through scholarships, development of certification in subspecialties, and continued research into psychometric methods of testing and simulation of tasks critical to ensure valid and reliable examinations.

The mission of the Foundation is: To expand and strengthen the delivery of eye care.

Since 1991, the Foundation has awarded $710,890 in 816 scholarships to students in training programs; continuing education (CE) scholarships to attend JCAHPO- or ATPO-sponsored CE programs; and certification scholarships to assist with examination fees for those wishing to enter or advance in the field. The Foundation has also assisted with financial support for development of a computer simulation for the COT Skill Evaluation; and development of JCAHPO Learning Systems^® and JCAHPO & CLAO Contact Lens Learning Systems^®, computer-simulated training tools for ophthalmic allied health personnel.

In 2009, the JCAHPO Education and Research Foundation awarded scholarships totaling $25,675 to 29 students enrolled in accredited educational programs for ophthalmic assistants, technicians, technologists, and orthoptists; 20 continuing education scholarships totaling $6,700; and 16 certification scholarships totaling $3,325, in addition to $2,000 for the Harold A. Stein, MD, Prize for Best Scientific Paper, and $500 for the Virginia S. Boyce Service Award.